Brake-pin retainer



oct. 6,1925. 1,556,108

V. H. HARBERT BRAKE PIN RETAINER Filed Aug. 1ll 1922 .1 15,(C-mmm z Patented Oct. 6,1925.

UNITED STATES 1,556,108 PATENTv OFFICE.;

vieron. n. Hammam, or SPRINGFIELD, ILLINoIs,AssIGNoR To E. PAYsoN SMITH, or SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

BRAKE-PIN RETAINER.

AppIication led Aiigiust 11, 1922. Serial No. 581,138.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, VICTOR H. HARBERT, residing at Springfield, county of' Sangamon, State of Illinois, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Pin Retainers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being had-to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modiiications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilledin the I art.

The air brake mechanisms of locomotives and railway train equipment conslst of a serles of levers connected by rods so as to transmit the power from the air brake cylinder to the wheels. These brake connecting rods have bifurcated ends or jaws which engage the ends ofthe brake levers and are connected thereto by a pin penetrating the jaws and the lever. The Interstate Commerce Commission requires that eighty-five per centl (85%) of the cars in a train shall have their brake mechanisms operative before the train may move in interstate tramc.

It is readily seen that if these pins should come out that the brake mechanism will not operate but will allow the rods to fall on fall upon the road bed and the other end to project upwardly and derail the truck. Inoperative brakes result in loss of control of train and constant wrecks, and `loss of life and limb, as well as result in damage claims.. Various devices, such as nuts, lock washers and spring cotters have been experimented with butexperience shows that laborers do not apply such devices at all or only -partially tighten the nuts and do not split or separate the legs of the spring cotters. This results in the nuts or cotters becoming lost due to the 'oltin of the train over the rough track. en t e nuts or. the cotters are gone the pins will fall out. y'

One of the objects of this invention is to provide means for preventing the accidental removal of the brake pin and at the same time provide a device which can be readily removed and replaced when occasion requires. This operation can be performed repeatedly without affecting the ei'liciency of the device.

Another object of the invention is to take up the clearance between the jaws of the connecting rod and the brake lever thus reducing the wear on the pin.

The pins c/an be made much shorter resulting in considerable saving due to the fact that there are millions of such pins used annually by the railroads. The. device may be used with the present standard brake pin with a drilled hole or may be used with-.

plifying brake repairs at outlying points along the railroad.

The device cannot be improperly applied, therefore, is fool proof.

The device is applicable to the American Railroad Association standard brake jaws and levers and can be used on old equipment as well asnew equipment.

While the device is described as applicable to pins for brake mechanisms-l for freight train equipment, Ido not wish to limit my invention thereto because the device is applicable to machinery which is subject to constant vibration.

It may also be used in connection with nuts or cotters 'if so desired.

\ In the drawings: A

Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of the end of a brake lever and connecting rod with the invention applied thereon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view. of Fig. 1..

Fig. 3 is' a side elevation of the end of a connecting rod and brake lever with the device about to be inserted.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device by itself.

Fig. 5 shows a modification wherein one geg ofv the retainer is longer than the other e Y l gFig. 6 is a detail plan view of the retainer of the modification shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings 1 represents a standard brake lever, 2 a standard connecting rod having bifurcated portions or jaws 3 and 4 which are connected by pin 5 penetrating the jaws of the lever. Pin 5 is provided with head 6 to hold it in place.

The device consists of U-shaped members 7 and 8 resiliently connected by portion 9 So'that the device may be sprung apart as shown in Fig. 3, when it is being applied to the pin. The outer leg 8 has a rebent portion forming an acute angled flange 10 which when applying the retainer to a pin; slides upon the head 6 of the pin 5 andy' spreads the retainer until it has passed over:

the pin head when it snaps into 'place and' sary either to any parts of the car or the' device after it is in position. This is accomplished by the resiliency of the device and therelative position of the two bifurcated portions of the device and the pin.

In order to give more resistance and obtain the proper amount of resiliency I provide a corrugation or sti'ening rib formed in that portion whichconnectsl the two members of the retainer. This is shown in all the figures, particularly in Fig. 4, and designated as 14. This stiffening member may be made in any desired form.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification wherein one leg of the U-shaped retainer is longer than the other leg so 'as to form a lead or wedge when vinserting the retainer between the brake lever and the jaws of the connecting rod, so that that .portion of the retainer can be fairly well started before the inclined portion 10 comes in contact with the head 6 of pin 5. This elongated portion is deflected somewhat, as shown at 15, Fig. 5. The deflected portion also gives a spring action and forces lever 1 against the jaw 3 thereby taking up any clearance and consequent wear. It will be noted in Figs. 4 and 6 that the 'bifurcated portions of the bifurcated.

leg are narrower at their extremities than at their* bases. This is for the purpose of leading or guiding the retainer into roper position when being applied. This eature is advantageous whether one leg of the U- shaped retainer is longer than the other. or not.

What I claim is:

1. A brake pin retainer comprising two members resiliently connected, the end of one of said members bent to form an acute angled flange 2. A brake pin retainer having two members resiliently connected, one of said members being longer than the other member, said longer member being bifurcated, said bifurcated portions being narrower at their extremities than at their base, the other member being rebent to form an acute angled iiange 3. A brake pin retainer'having two members resiliently connected, one of said members being longer than the other member and the end portion thereof deflected, the other member being rebent to form an acute angled flange.

4. A brake pin retainer havin twomembers resiliently connected, one o sai'd members being bifurcated, said bifurcated portions being narrower at their extremities than at their base, the other yof said members bent to form an acute angled flange.

5. A brake pin retainer having twosubstantially parallel members resiliently connected, one of said members being bifurcated, said bifurcated portions being deflected, the Aother member being rebent to form an acute angled flange.

6. A brake pin retainer comprising two members resiliently connected, the end of one of said members bent to form an acute angled flange, and the other of said meml bers being bifurcated.

vICToRH. HARBERT. 

